1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to furnaces, and more particularly, to a novel and improved furnace for burning particulate fuels such as wood sander dust, sawdust and the like. This invention is specifically concerned with a particulate burner furnace which includes an auger means for feeding fuel, and wherein the auger means is mounted in a revolving hopper.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the furnace art to provide furnaces for burning particulate waste material such as wood sander dust, sawdust, wood chips and the like. Some of the prior art furnaces of this type employ funnel shaped hoppers wherein the particulate fuel is fed by gravity to a burner. Such gravity-fed burners are disadvantageous in that the particulate fuel hangs up on the side of the hopper, and when the fuel in the middle of the hopper is exhausted, smoke fills the hopper and leaks into the building in which the burner is employed, and in other cases, the fire in the burner may go out. Also it has been found that sawdust or other particulate fuel falling from the hopper functions to damper the fire in the burner temporarily, which causes loss of the heat and creates creosote in the burner chimney. It is also known to use screw conveyors for feeding particulate fuel to a burner. A disadvantage of such screw conveyors is that the sawdust or other particulate fuel becomes packed in the conveyor or auger until it becomes rock hard and dams up the conveyor. Examples of the aforementioned art particulate fuel burners are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 307,552; 1,804,285; 2,165,802; 3,610,182; 3,824,937; 3,865,053; 4,096,808; and 4,168,915.